The ups and downs of Daytona led to a dramatic shakeup in our early-season rankings. While Keselowski and Johnson started out on top in our preseason Top 25, poor results at Daytona sent some top names plummeting in the standings and rankings.

Can Johnson and Keselowski stay at the top as the series heads to Phoenix International Raceway this weekend?

Can Danica and Earnhardt keep it up? What does their strong performances at Daytona mean for the next race and the future?

For the answers to those questions and more, and to track your favorite driver, follow our weekly Sporting News NASCAR Power Rankings.

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1

of 25

Jimmie Johnson

After losing the 2012 championship to Brad Keselowski, Johnson got even at Daytona, beating the champ on a late restart to win NASCAR’s biggest race. Momentum in NASCAR is big and Johnson has a ton. If that doesn’t scare the competition, considers this: He has four wins at Phoenix.

2

of 25

Brad Keselowski

He may have lost the top spot in our rankings, but Keselowski’s performance at Daytona was impressive. Rallying from two crashes and contending with a damaged car, the champ proved once again that his Penske team doesn’t quit.

3

of 25

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

For the third time in four years, Earnhardt made a late run but finished second in the Daytona. He and his fans have got to be tired of that “runnerup” label. But a good start to what could be a big year for Junior.

4

of 25

Greg Biffle

Biffle was impressive throughout Speedweeks, finishing second in two early races and then running second until the final lap in the 500. He’s the guy waving the Ford banner as the series takes its new Gen-6 cars to Phoenix.

5

of 25

Ryan Newman

The Stewart-Haas cars were fast at Daytona, and after some early trouble and a slow start, Newman rallied to finish fifth. And he has five top-five finishes in his last six races at Phoenix, including a win in 2010.

6

of 25

Denny Hamlin

He led 33 laps at Daytona, second only to teammate Matt Kenseth. But he got shuffled out of the lead pack at the end and wound up a disappointing 14th. He will be looking to bounce back with a vengeance at Phoenix, where he won this race last year.

7

of 25

Clint Bowyer

Bowyer was quiet throughout Speedweeks and finished 11th in the Daytona 500. Could he have been looking ahead to Phoenix, the site of his team’s infamous rumble with Jeff Gordon last year? Could he have had revenge on his mind? No, not Bowyer.

8

of 25

Mark Martin

Martin wasn’t on our preseason list because he isn’t running a full Cup schedule, but a stirring third-place run at Daytona deserves some recognition. Imagine the buzz he would have created had he pushed Junior or Danica to victory.

9

of 25

Danica Patrick

At 25th in our preseason rankings, Danica made the biggest leap of anyone. Don’t think she belongs in the top 10? How many other women have started on the pole and led the Daytona 500? How many female drivers have been running third on the final lap and finished eighth?

The answer would be none. She not only made history, but she was Stewart-Haas’ best driver throughout Speedweeks. She may crash back to earth at Phoenix, but Patrick’s performance and accomplishments at Daytona cannot be overstated.

10

of 25

Jeff Gordon

He led 31 laps early at Daytona, but an overheating engine slowed him, leaving him 20th. Gordon must bounce back with a good run at Phoenix, where he has two career victories. He also might want to watch out for Bowyer.

11

of 25

Matt Kenseth

He led a race-high 86 laps and had the car to beat until his engine went up in smoke. He’s meshing well with his new Joe Gibbs team, but those fragile Toyota engines have to be a concern.

12

of 25

Kyle Busch

Busch also had a chance to win until his engine soured. At least his engine was the only thing that blew. Many expected Busch to blow his top after he was felled by Toyota engines again, bringing back nightmares from last season.

13

of 25

Kasey Kahne

Kahne was one of several top contenders taken out early in the Daytona 500. Now he heads to a track where he has just three top-fives and an average finish of 19th. Kahne can’t get off to another bad start if he hopes to contend for the championship.

14

of 25

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Stenhouse could barely see his girlfriend for most of the race at Daytona — until Danica got shuffled to eighth and he finished 12th. Those roles will be revered on most weeks. He’s a hot fantasy pick at Phoenix — and not just by Danica.

15

of 25

Tony Stewart

Stewart scored his 19th career victory at Daytona in the crash-marred Nationwide race. But he was 0-for-14 in the Daytona 500. Make that 0-for-15 after getting caught up in an early crash.

16

of 25

Aric Almirola

Almirola and the Richard Petty cars were barely noticed during Speedweeks. But then Almirola snuck into 13th at the finish. He’s trying to build on some momentum from late last year.

17

of 25

Kevin Harvick

Harvick was having fun with all this “lame-duck” talk at Daytona, where he won the first two races he was in. He was a heavy favorite to win the Daytona 500, but he wasn’t laughing after getting caught up in an early crash.

Harvick won at Phoenix last November, two days after news leaked of his pending departure from Richard Childress Racing. He must hope he can use the continuing story for motivation again this weekend or those “lame-duck” jokes won’t be a laughing matter.

18

of 25

Regan Smith

Smith won’t be on this list next week because he’s not running the full Cup schedule, but you have to give him props for finishing seventh at Daytona in a part-time role for Phoenix Racing.

19

of 25

Joey Logano

Logano took a turn at the front at Daytona, but got shuffled back to 19th at the finish and drew the ire of Hamlin, his former teammate, for racing three-wide.

20

of 25

Martin Truex Jr.

Like Kenseth and Busch, he was running at the front at Daytona until foiled by those darn Toyota engines.

21

of 25

Carl Edwards

No one had a worse Speedweeks than Edwards, who was involved in four wrecks. His Daytona 500 crash led to a 33rd-place finish.

Not the result he needed coming off a disappointing season and starting over with new crew chief Jimmy Fennig.

22

of 25

Marcos Ambrose

Ambrose never found the speed he was looking for in his Ford and it showed with a lackluster 18th-place finish.

23

of 25

Paul Menard

After a strong showing in the qualifying races, he was expected to be a sleeper in the 500. Instead, he made little noise and finished 21st.

At least he was better than his three RCR teammates, who were all involved in wrecks.

24

of 25

Michael McDowell

This might be his only appearance on this list all season, but you can’t ignore a ninth-place finish for one of the smallest teams (Phil Parsons Racing) in the field.

25

of 25

J.J. Yeley

There always seems to be some surprising finishes after the late-lap scramble at Daytona. This was another one as Yeley wound up 10th.

His finish capped a good weekend for Tommy Baldwin Racing, which also had Dave Blaney finish 17th.